ownership for her.

Don, too, tried to encourage the children in their efforts to swim. He
plunged out into deep water, and then looked persuasively back at the
children nearer shore, as if to say:

"Follow me. It's really very easy."

Beth as usual proved the venturesome one, and started out after Don.

Mrs. Davenport, who was sitting on the wharf doing some fancy work and
at the same time watching the children, called:

"Beth, do be careful or you'll get into trouble."

"Why, mamma, I am careful."

Mrs. Davenport again became absorbed in her work. Suddenly, she was
startled by screams from the children. Above the other voices she
heard Marian calling:

"Don, Don, save her."

Poor Mrs. Davenport sprang to her feet in a frenzy of terror. It was
as she expected. She saw her beloved Beth sinking. She was so
horrified that for a second or two she could not cry out.

Harvey was near Beth, but made no effort to rescue her.

"Harvey, Harvey," screamed Mrs. Davenport, "save her."

But even as she cried another was swimming to the rescue, and this was
faithful Don. He had no idea of letting his beloved little mistress
drown. He grabbed her by her bathing suit and swam towards the shore
with her.

"Why, Mrs. Davenport, we didn't think you'd be frightened. It's only
play," called Harvey.

How proud the delighted dog was. He thought he had really saved Beth's
life. He did not know that she was just pretending for the fun of
having him come to her.

Day after day, the children struggled to learn to swim, but with rather
poor success.

At last, they thought of trying light logs to keep them up. This
proved quite successful. They placed the log across their chests, and
under their armpits, and then made their hands and feet go. This was
quite like swimming. After a time they tried it even in the deep water
inside the boat house.

One day Beth ran down ahead of the others. Don, for a wonder, was not
with her that morning. She thought she would have some fun all by
herself.

Her log was in the boat house. She fearlessly jumped into deep water
with it, but somehow, she got beyond the range of the walk. In trying
to paddle back to it, her log slipped away from her. Then she grew
very much frightened.

It was a case of swim or sink. Terrified as she was, she had presence
of mind to keep her hands and feet going. To her surprise, she did not
sink. She had only a little ways to go and made i